Connect magazine spring 2014 by BirminghamCityUniversity

SHAPING THE WORLD

CONNECT

THIS IS BIRMINGHAM Page 13 Best-selling crime writer R J Ellory talks to Connect about what makes Birmingham great.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Page 6 Project Director Peter Cochrane answers your questions on the City Centre Campus development.

STAFF BEHIND THE STORIES Page 15 Meet the staff behind the story of BRIT nominated alumna Laura Mvula.

Spring 2014

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 03

Welcome Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Allan discusses NSS, estates strategy and the University’s REF submission.

Extra Mile Awards 2013/14 Find out more about the University and Students’ Union joint award scheme for staff and students.

Building towards the estates vision Project Director Peter Cochrane talks about the Phase 2 building and how staff will be kept informed during the developments.

Migration champions Connect finds out how the migration champions are supporting the move to Phase 2.

20:20 vision Professor Cliff Allan discusses the University’s updated Strategic Plan for 2020.

#leadingtheway Connect discovers how the University is leading the way on social media.

Six months in pictures Connect takes a look at some of the big University stories over the past six months.

Picture perfect We reveal the winner and runners-up of this year’s Staff Photography Competition.

Science without borders Connect finds out more about the University’s work with the Brazilian government.

This is Birmingham Best-selling crime novelist R J Ellory talks to Connect about what makes Birmingham great.

Living the values Professor Fiona Church explains how ELSS is working to improve the wellbeing of staff.

Staff behind the stories Meet the staff behind the success of some of the University’s most famous graduates.

Alumni of the Year Connect profiles the University’s Alumni of the Year for 2013.

What do our students think? Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Mary Carswell talks to Connect about the importance of the NSS and how staff can make a difference.

Staff spotlight Professor Robert Ashford reveals his talents on the bagpipes.

Front cover: students from Birmingham Conservatoire provide a musical accompaniment to the staff christmas reception.

WELCOME

Welcome We hope to soon finalise our future plans for the Conservatoire which is subject to re-location as a result of the Paradise Circus re-development. Taken together, these ambitious plans will ensure we have the space we need in the future, in line with our new Strategic Plan, which will take the University through to 2020. They will present challenges but are also hugely exciting and represent a bright future for the University. The Strategic Plan is currently being finalised following the wide consultation on our future positioning and distinctiveness. I arranged a series of presentations in December to bring you all up to speed on this and other developments, and it was great to see so many of you there.

Welcome to the Spring 2014 edition of Connect. It has been another busy start to the year for us, with colleagues now settling in well at our new facilities at the City Centre Campus. As I walk from Millennium Point over the bridge into The Parkside Building, it seems as though we have always had these facilities, such is the way that our staff and students are using them; and on the whole the building seems to be working effectively. Thank you to everyone for your support in managing this period so well. Anyone visiting the site will also have seen that the second phase of our City Centre Campus development is well under way, with a further building being constructed to house our business, English, social science and law courses, as well as new student support, library and IT facilities. We look forward to welcoming our first students to this building next year. Many of you will know that we have now announced plans for a third phase of development, to ensure our accommodation needs are met for the foreseeable future and to fulfil our objective of becoming a two-campus university, with two main campuses at City Centre and City South. At the City Centre Campus, we plan to construct a new 7,000 sq m building to provide additional general teaching and learning spaces on a University-owned plot next to the Phase 2 building, as well as taking office space in nearby buildings to accommodate support staff currently based at City North. We also aim to develop the City South Campus site with an 8,000 sq m building with both general and specialist teaching space, and related staff office space. Our intention is to complete the plans by summer 2017, with a phased move of remaining services from City North over the preceding two years.

As I mentioned in the last edition, one recent disappointment was last year’s decline in our overall NSS student satisfaction score. We are now in the middle of this year’s survey and a great deal of attention has been paid to making marginal improvements where possible and significant improvements where required. In this edition of Connect, Professor Mary Carswell tells us more about the importance of the NSS and how you can all do your bit to help us improve. As the University continues to find ways to engage with the wider community, I have been pleased by the success of our City Talks programme, with a wide range of interesting guest speakers. Recent events have included film director Ian Emes, best-selling crime writer R J Ellory and the University’s own Mark WilliamsThomas, who discussed the consequences of his historic exposé of disgraced TV presenter Jimmy Savile. We now look forward to the Birmingham Made Me series of events showcasing and celebrating the best of Birmingham. With our REF submission now complete, I can report that compared to the RAE 2008 we have increased the number of staff submitted, increased the number of units of assessment in which submissions are made, and with a higher average quality threshold than 2008. Also following a very successful RESCON conference at the end of 2013, we continue to provide a foundation on which to begin to build towards REF 2020. I would like to thank all of you for helping to make my first full year at Birmingham City University such an enjoyable one. There is much to look forward to in 2014, and I am excited to work with you all to meet the challenges and opportunities we face.

Professor Cliff Allan Vice-Chancellor

RECOGNISING THE UNIVERSITY’S BEST

Recognising the University’s best Preparations are underway for the Extra Mile Awards 2013/14 ceremony. With over 400 nominations, this year’s inaugural partnership event between the University and the Students’ Union is set to be the biggest and most celebratory yet. Staff and students will be in attendance to join the ViceChancellor and Students’ Union President for the annual awards ceremony at The Parkside Building in May.

Joe Boyd, Students’ Union President, added: “Our message to staff and students is that anyone can win an Extra Mile Award, it doesn’t matter if your work is high profile or not.”

Professor Cliff Allan, Vice-Chancellor, said: “The University has achieved a great deal in recent years, but none of this would have been possible without the hard work and determination of our staff and students.

Professor Cliff Allan and Joe Boyd will also be choosing the winners of the first Vice-Chancellor and Students’ Union President’s Award. This prestigious title will be presented to one exceptional student and one member of staff/team judged to best represent the core values of the University.

“The Extra Mile Awards are about recognising the successes of these exceptional staff and students; people who go above and beyond to shape the future for both themselves and the University.”

To find out more about the Extra Mile Awards 2013/14, visit: icity.bcu.ac.uk/extramile or www.bcusu.com/extramile

Dates for your diary Nominations deadline: Saturday 15 March Judging takes place: Wednesday 2 April Awards ceremony: Thursday 15 May

RECOGNISING THE UNIVERSITY’S BEST

“The Extra Mile Awards are about recognising the successes of the University’s best staff and students.” The categories... This year has seen an exceptional amount of interest in these awards with nominations being made across the whole of the University community of staff and students. Vicky Price, Senior Communications Officer and part of the planning team said: “The amount of high quality submissions across the board in all categories is a real testament to the University and proof of the pride people feel in being part of Birmingham City University. “We are so excited to celebrate and recognise some of these success stories at the awards event in May.”

Engaging and Inspiring Teacher of the Year

Professional and Technical Staff of the Year

This year’s student-led teaching category will highlight the exceptional teaching going on across the University.

Technicians, administrators and support staff are just some of the members of staff who have been nominated for this category.

Academic of the Year This category will recognise the work of one of the University’s top academics. Whether it be recognition of innovative research or commitment to teaching quality, this individual will be rewarded for making a significant impact in their field.

The award will be presented to a member of staff who is skilled in their field and has made a difference to the University.

Project Team of the Year This very popular category will reward a team who has made a noteworthy contribution to the University and worked in partnership with others to achieve success.

Undergraduate Student of the Year This category will highlight the achievements of the University’s undergraduate students.

Student Representative of the Year

The winning entry will be a student who has made an exceptional contribution to the University.

This category will recognise the excellent work of the University’s student representatives, rewarding a student who provides outstanding support to their peers.

Postgraduate Student of the Year

Personal Tutor of the Year

The University’s best postgraduate students will be showcased in this category.

The winner of this category will be a member of staff who provides first class support and goes the extra mile to help their students.

The winner of the award will be a student who demonstrates entrepreneurial spirit and academic excellence.

BUILDING TOWARDS ESTATES VISION

BUILDING TOWARDS ESTATES VISION Peter Cochrane is the Project Director for the City Centre Campus developments and one of the driving forces behind delivering the new estates vision. Connect speaks to Peter about his thoughts on Phase 2 and beyond… What do you think makes the Phase 2 development so unique? Phase 2 is a significant development within Eastside, which builds on the key principals and successes of The Parkside Building. We are proud to say this has received acclaim from peers and national bodies alike. Its civic presence is purposely focused around delivering much more of a “front door to the city” feel, consolidating the campus around a park setting; this is a unique and exciting prospect. The facilities in Phase 2 will provide a student support hub. The co-location of all support functions, such as Student Services and the Students’ Union, will make our support offering feel much more coherent. Also included in the development plans are private gardens and a much-needed event space which will overlook the canal, complementing the city park. This will sit at the back of the Phase 2 building next to the new Students’ Union facility. The regeneration of the currently derelict public house, which is a building of significant local heritage, will be managed by the Students’ Union and will offer a further opportunity to support the sense of community.

How will the location of the City Centre Campus development improve our links with the city? The opportunity to engage with business is significantly enhanced by being located so close to the business core, as well as the exciting potential opportunities that HS2 could offer. This will inevitably draw significant attention to Eastside and will be a further catalyst for regeneration.

Along with supporting the business community, we will also be able to better connect and provide transformational change for Birmingham; we will be able to focus on attracting more students to the city and then retain them as highly-skilled graduates for the region to truly become a University for the city.

How can staff get involved and how will they be communicated to for Phase 2 developments? Staff will be kept up to date with progress on the development by the Vice-Chancellor’s email bulletins. The Communications Team will also be providing updates on iCity, Did You Know?, Core Briefing and in Connect. There will be a much more tailored programme of communications activity for the staff and students involved in the move which includes a series of staff briefing sessions in March and June this year. I would encourage all staff to look at the iCity site that has been created to keep staff up to date with general estates progress, as well as specific move information and timings. On this site is the video flythrough of how the Phase 2 building will look inside, as well as the live webcam. If you have any questions about the estates developments, please email them to: communications@bcu.ac.uk and they will be added to the online FAQ at: icity.bcu.ac.uk/ campusdevelopments.

MIGRATION CHAMPIONS

Migration champions With just over 12 months to go until estimated completion of the University’s new Phase 2 building, preparations for the migration are well underway. Steve Pymount is Director of Faculty Administration in Birmingham City Business School and is one of the dedicated migration champions for Phase 2. Steve talks to Connect about the preparations in the faculty so far… “Anyone who has seen The Parkside Building cannot fail to be excited by the prospect of the move to the new campus in the summer of 2015. However, at the same time we must not underestimate the logistics involved in moving, which is why we have appointed a three-man team to work on the preparations for our faculty. I’ll be heading up the team, alongside Graham Romp, who will represent the academics and John Colby who will be managing the day-to-day operations. “We will be drawing on the lessons learnt from the BIAD team and will be assisted by Project Manager Sarah Comley from the University Estates Department Project Office. As we approach the move, we will be issuing regular updates and holding question and answer sessions for staff in the Business School so that everyone is clear as to the timescales and the various milestones.”

Meet your migration champions Every faculty and service department moving into the Phase 2 building has an allocated champion to assist with the migration. They will be the main point of contact for staff to answer queries about the move. Birmingham City Business School Steve Pymount, Director of Faculty Administration steve.pymount@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 5205 Campus Management and Services Diane Elliot, Group Manager diane.elliot@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 7567 CICT James Whateley, Associate Director of Change Management james.whateley@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 5682 ELSS Arvinder Mandla, Director of Faculty Administration arvinder.mandla@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 6321 Estates Fred Coke, Assistant Director

Next steps

fred.coke@bcu.ac.uk

The University wants to encourage staff to start thinking about arrangements for the move as soon as possible.

Library and Learning Resources

To help staff to prepare, Campus Management and Services will assist the faculties and service departments in facilitating some ‘clear out days’. Guidance will be given to staff to support the efficient and responsible disposal of unwanted items, as well as options for storage. Speak to your migration champion or check the iCity site for updates.

0121 331 5691

Judith Andrews, Director judith.andrews@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 6448 School of English Andrew Kehoe, Deputy Head

“Most of the information about the move came through my migration champion; they were available if I had any questions and these were answered promptly.” Phase 1 Communications Survey 2013

How you can find out more… A dedicated iCity site has been set up to support and inform colleagues about the migration to Phase 2. For more detailed migration champion profiles, logistical information and timescales, as well as images and video flythroughs, visit the site here: icity.bcu.ac.uk/campusdevelopments. If you have any questions about the move, please email: communications@bcu.ac.uk or view the list of FAQs on the iCity site.

andrew.kehoe@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 6732 Student Services Raaj Shamji, Assistant Director - Finance and Operations raaj.shamji@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 6513 Students’ Union Richard Evans, Chief Executive richard.evans@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 6806 TEE Mel Lees, Executive Dean melvyn.lees@bcu.ac.uk 0121 331 7450

UNIVERSITY HAS 2020 VISION

UNIVERSITY HAS 2020 VISION The University is excited to announce the launch of its new vision for the next five years with the delivery of the Strategic Plan; establishing new priorities up to 2020. The final iteration of this plan has been developed as a result of significant staff consultation in order to ensure that the vision reflects a way forward that the whole University community can buy into. The first stage of this consultation began in January 2013 where the Vice-Chancellor and other key senior colleagues developed a list of ‘propositions’ – ideas that defined the University’s distinctiveness among competitors and within the city. Staff were given the opportunity to give feedback on these propositions online as part of the ‘Distinctiveness Exercise’, which have in turn contributed to the final version of this strategy. Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Allan explained: “This new plan is an accurate reflection of our priorities and vision for the future. It builds on our strengths as well as seizing new opportunities that will help set us apart from our competitors in the future. “When staff read the plan, they will see that the theme is ‘transformation’; we are seeking to have a transformative effect on our students. As a University we need to look at the way we are contributing to society, by working smarter and more efficiently to further enhance our provision for students. “I want to thank all staff who have helped contribute to the development of this plan and hope that our vision can be shared by the whole University community.”

Highlights of the plan Vision • To be recognised as the leading university for creative and professional practice-based education in the UK. • To have highly employable graduates with knowledge, attributes and practice skills to successfully progress in their lives and careers. • Through applied research and knowledge exchange, create advantage for students, employers, our city and region, and for the wider society. • To be recognised as the sector leader in student engagement. • To be the university FOR Birmingham and with a global reach. • To continue to be an employer of choice and attract innovative and enterprising staff.

The plan highlights four key areas in which we will focus our efforts: • Transforming students • Transforming Birmingham and the region • Transforming practice • Transforming the University

What next? Throughout the coming months, implementation of the new plan will start to take place across the University, giving staff an opportunity to contribute towards its delivery.

More Information Progress on the Strategic Plan can be viewed online: icity.bcu.ac.uk/university-strategy. If you have any questions regarding this plan, you can contact the University Executive Group: ueg@bcu.ac.uk.

LEADING THE WAY

#leadingtheway The University recently had cause to celebrate when it announced that its Facebook page had received over 40,000 ‘likes’. With this major milestone in mind, Connect looks at how social media is playing a more important role than ever in the recruitment and engagement of students. It is estimated that 89 per cent of people between the ages of 18 and 29* are now active on social media. Students who use sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, want to be able to access their university as part of their online circle. Social media is now a powerful means of engagement with a global reach. Social Media Officer, Saulo Menezes de Oliveira explained: “One of our recent online campaigns recruiting students in India, Nigeria and Brazil has resulted in a vast increase in online followers from these countries. This is something new for us and proof of how influential social media has now become.” What’s next for social media at Birmingham City University? Saulo joined the University in 2011 and, over the past two years, he has been working to increase the University’s online presence as well as developing the first Social Media Policy. He spoke to Connect about how we must adapt to changes in demand for social media as technologies advance. “A priority for us is to now look at how we can extend our current coverage of social media; currently our sites are looked after during working hours only. We would like to increase this to throughout weekends and evenings in key parts of the academic calendar, so when students need us, we are there for them.” Saulo also believes it is important to work on making sure our audience know what we can provide for them. “We are developing a Service Level Agreement for our social media usage. Most students use our social media sites for asking questions, so we are currently working on guidelines to manage expectations. He added: “Representation on social media sites used to set universities apart, but it is now standard fare. As these sites develop, improve and become more complex, so must our approach.” Social Media Policy summary points: • There is no such thing as personal/professional social media: everything you say has implications; something said in private can easily be reproduced in public • If you see Birmingham City University misrepresented on any of our sites, please report it • Champion our social media sites! If you would like some advice or guidance on how to get the best out of using social media or you would like to access the policy, please contact: saulo.oliveira@bcu.ac.uk.

Key figures (January 2014): 41,258 people have liked our Facebook page 13,226 follow us on Twitter *figures as of May 2013, Pew Research Centre

SIX MONTHS IN PICTURES

SIX MONTHS IN PICTURES We take a look at some of the big stories at the University in the last six months… 1. University students swept the board at the Chartered Institute of Housing Awards 2013, winning four awards.

2. Acting graduate Elliot Fitzpatrick filming the University’s new TV advert.

3. Animation graduate Rizwan Khan receives a Royal Television Society award for his short film ‘Chime’. 4. Talented school pupils from across Birmingham visit the University as part of an awards ceremony hosted by Mosaic, a charity founded by the Prince of Wales.

5. The Connect Editorial Team picking up their recent CIPR Award for Best Internal Publication 6. Students from Birmingham Conservatoire provide a musical accompaniment to the staff christmas reception.

7. Staff and students from the Faculty of Health brave a gruelling 14day trek through Nepal as part of a 25-day study programme.

PICTURE PERFECT

8. Staff and students from the children’s nursing team don their pyjamas in aid of Children in Need. 9. Steve Bradley, Director of Campus Management and Services, receives a lifetime achievement award from the Confederation of University Business Officers (CUBO).

10 A room designed by students on show at the Interiors 2014 show held at The NEC Birmingham.

10.

PICTURE PERFECT Staff have sent in dozens of photos as part of this year’s staff photography competition.

3. ‘October Sky’ by Professor Maxine Lintern, Associate Dean, Faculty of Health

Congratulations to Miranda Wells, Senior Lecturer in Gemmology, whose entry ‘Porcelain Crab’ has been chosen by the judges as this year’s winner. Well done also to Judith Andrews, Director of Library and Learning Resources and Professor Maxine Lintern, Associate Dean, Faculty of Health, who the judges chose as second and third place respectively. Michael Ellender, Communications Officer, said: “Picking a winner wasn’t easy, all of the photos we received demonstrated real style and creativity. “Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in their pictures, I’m looking forward to seeing what staff come up with next year!”

2. ‘Reflections of Africa’ by Judith Andrews, Director, Library and Learning Resources

1. ‘Porcelain Crab’ by Miranda Wells, Senior Lecturer in Gemmology, BIAD

SCIENCE WITHOUT BORDERS

Science without borders The University is one of a number of British universities participating in a student scholarship scheme funded by the Brazilian government. One of the largest student mobility programmes operating in the UK, Science without Borders, provides opportunities for Brazilian students to study one year as part of their degrees in science and technology at top universities around the world, and builds academic and industry links between Brazil and the UK. The University has been involved since 2012 and the programme is expected to run until at least 2015. Scholarships are available on undergraduate and PhD programmes and 22 students are now studying with us.

The focus is on science and technology but any course that has an element of innovation or technology can be accepted as part of Science without Borders, so while majority of students study at the Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment (TEE), some have travelled here to undertake courses at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) in areas such as fashion and interior design, and media courses in the Faculty of Performance, Media and English (PME). “In addition to their studies, the students also have to be involved in a three-month placement over the summer. They are really excited about the prospect of working,” said Gabriel. Feedback from students so far has been very positive. Daniel Leal, BSc (Hons) Mechanical Engineering explained: “The experience of studying at Birmingham City University is helping me to be more mature and to understand the engineering course in a practical way. Birmingham City University provides several laboratory classes and there are lots of great professors.”

It has several benefits for students, from improving their English skills, providing them with valuable experience in industry. Gabriel Ceballos, Manager of Science without Borders in the University’s International Office, explained: “The purpose of this programme is to provide Brazilian students with the opportunity to go overseas - possibly for the first time - to be trained in a number of priority “Science without Borders is offering me areas. What we want is to give them an opportunity to experience learning practical experience in an international with a better infrastructure than I have in environment.” Brazil. It is also helping me discover new

perspectives about my studied subjects while allowing me to build a wider network,” added Mauany Alencar, BA (Hons) Media and Communication. A major benefit for British universities is that it enables them to raise their profile and it is hoped that in the future more Brazilian PhD students will be recruited to Birmingham City University and similar agreements could be made with other countries. “What we have managed to do with Science without Borders is to communicate and work together with a wide range of people. If we manage to achieve similar success with other countries that would be brilliant,” said Gabriel.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Mike Leddy and representatives from the Brazilian Ministry of Education take a tour of the University’s new Parkside Building.

THIS IS BIRMINGHAM

THIS IS

Birmingham-based crime novelist Roger Ellory – known as R J Ellory – shared his passion for the city at the recent inaugural City Talks event, part of a series of public lectures run by the University. In ‘This is Birmingham’, Roger spoke about the city’s rise as Britain’s thriving centre of industry, citing many remarkable accomplishments. The first motor-driven car, microwave oven and steel pen nib were just some of the innovations to come out of the city.

Roger is also aware of how Birmingham City University is making a contribution to the city. “We have the largest green screen in the UK, here at the University” he said of the new facilities in The Parkside Building.

Birmingham’s wartime contribution was also crucial, he told the audience at Birmingham Conservatoire. During the Second World War, Birmingham-produced aircraft took to the skies during the Battle of Britain (production of the Spitfire in Birmingham never ceased despite heavy bombing in December 1940), soldiers carried rifles produced at Birmingham Small Arms and the Austin factory produced military vehicles.

“BBC guys came down from Salford and got a tour of the facilities and they were just sick with envy.”

Roger also praised Birmingham’s contribution to the arts, from the artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones, who studied at Birmingham School of Art from 1848 to 1852 and features in the University’s Shaping the World campaign, to Lord of the Rings author J R R Tolkien, and the bands that have had an enduring impact, including Duran Duran, Black Sabbath and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO); a song by the latter served as the soundtrack to a video screened at the presentation, highlighting the city’s key achievements.

“I think Birmingham inherently is inhabited by people who are extraordinarily humble,” he said.

Roger, who also plays in the band Zero Navigation, became interested in learning about these contributions after meeting people on tour who knew very little about what has come to be known as Britain’s ‘second city’. “Nobody seemed to know anything about Birmingham’s history and my limited knowledge meant I could explain some parts. But then I started to look into it in a little more detail and was literally blown away by what’s been accomplished here. “It’s probably the most underappreciated and under acknowledged city in the country,” he said.

While the BBC’s Peaky Blinders and the opening of Europe’s largest public library have boosted Birmingham’s profile, it seems Brummies themselves remain unaware of many of its accomplishments, which Roger believes is down to a trait of intrinsic humility.

“I think the Birmingham sense of humour is very sardonic and very dry and I think Birmingham people, characteristically, are far smarter than people give them credit for. I think they have a very strong work ethic and in the main they’re very loyal nationalistically speaking - to Britain.”

CITY TALKS 2014 Adil Ray, Citizen Khan - The Parkside Building Thursday 3 April, 6:30pm to 8pm. www.bcu.ac.uk/citytalks

ELSS STAFF LIVING THE VALUES

ELSS STAFF LIVING THE VALUES Since it was introduced, various initiatives have been carried out to help the University meet the principles set out in the Core Values Framework. The Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences (ELSS) is one of the areas that has been working towards building the Values into the way staff work. In late 2011, ELSS staff were asked to complete an anonymous stress survey, enabling the faculty to gain valuable feedback on workload, staffing and time pressures. Coinciding with the implementation of the Core Values Framework, it provided a good opportunity to engage with staff and involve them in making positive changes to their work environment.

The Facult y’s Work-life Improvement Group (WIG) was subsequently developed. Repor ting directly to the Facult y Management Team, the WIG is led by Professor Craig Jackson, Head of the Psychology Division, and is made up entire ly of ELSS staff. It is a non-hierarchical group that gives staff the oppor tunity to suggest improvements to the worki ng environment. Various initiatives have now been introduced, includ ing a ‘wellbeing walk’ for different areas in the Facult y, under taken by Professor Fiona Church, Executive Dean, and Profes sor Jackson. The IPR process has become more person-centered and the Facult y is looking into the way new staff are inducted to the Univer sity to ensure they feel welcomed. New learning laboratories and innovative equipment have also been introduced to help staff develop new teaching techniques, so this staff engagement should also have a positiv e impac t on students. “We have introduced writing retreats, so people get time and space for thinking and we have some new kit, so some of this is about making teaching environments more pleasa nt,” said Professor Church. “One of the other things we have tried to do is manag e student expec tations around things such as responding to email s; we now have a two-day turnaround expec tation, so studen ts know when to expec t a response.” There has also been an emphasis on encouraging a sense of community and wellbeing among staff, with initiatives such as a running group, a creative writing group and a free fruit scheme (pictured) - all initiated as a result of staff sugge stions. “I think it has had a really big impac t and it has spark ed off other things. People have become more open to makin g suggestions and giving feedback,” added Professor Church.

STAFF BEHIND THE STORIES

Singer-songwriter and Alumna of the Year Laura Mvula

Staff behind the stories Shaping the World is the University’s high profile recruitment campaign, showcasing some of its most inspiring and successful graduates. Among these graduates are an Oscar nominee, CEOs, inventors, academics, TV presenters and musicians, to name just a few. But what about the staff behind the stories? Behind each of these successful graduates is the support and hard work of University staff. In this article, Connect speaks to some of the staff ‘behind the stories’ to find out how some of the University’s star graduates started their story at Birmingham City University.

Read more about the staff behind the stories on iCity by searching for ‘staff stories’.

Birmingham Daniell a Genas receives her r award Yea the Young Professional of

Annette Naudin

Joe Cutler Joe is a composition tutor at Birmingham Conservatoire and one of the staff behind the story of BRIT-nominated pop singer Laura Mvula. Since bursting onto the scene in late 2012, Laura has emerged as one of the UK’s top singer-songwriters, with a Mercury Prize nomination and a starring role in the new Marks & Spencer’s advertising campaign. Joe has fond memories of his time teaching Laura. “Laura was wonderful to work with and really receptive of all the music she came across. She was evidently a very natural musician but was quite shy and lacked confidence in her ability. “I think the reason that Laura has been so successful is because she is only interested in the music. She has something to say and she says it uniquely. I think there is a real honesty to her work which speaks to people.”

School of Media lecturer Annette is one of the staff behind the story of Birmingham Young Professional of the Year winner Daniella Genas. Daniella put her Media and Communication degree to work by setting up her own business. Aspire4u is a social enterprise which re-invests its profits into good causes. For Daniella, this means helping to provide work experience for hundreds of disadvantaged young people. “One of the reasons behind Daniella’s success is that she makes the most of opportunities and isn’t afraid of a challenge,” said Annette. “I think it was her strong values and passion to make a difference that really helped her to win a Birmingham Young Professional of the Year award. “If you’re looking to set up a business like Daniella, don’t be afraid to give it a go! People learn by doing and you’ll never know if an idea works until you try it.”

ALUMNI OF THE YEAR

Alumni of the Year The University is now searching for the Alumni of the Year 2014, recognising and celebrating the achievements of outstanding graduates in three categories: Enterprise and Innovation; Community Engagement and Leadership; and Excellence in Sport or the Arts. The winners of the Alumni of the Year 2013 received their prizes recently at the graduation ceremonies throughout February and March. The five winners below demonstrate how the University’s alumni make a real difference across the globe:

Laura Mvula BMus (Hons), 2008 Excellence in Sport or the Arts Laura Mvula is an awardwinning singer-songwriter. She landed her first record deal with Sony Music Entertainment’s flagship label, RCA Records, and in March 2013 released her debut album, ‘Sing to the Moon’, which reached the UK Top 10. In September 2013 her album - acclaimed by the Sunday Times Culture as “a masterpiece” - was shortlisted for the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize. She has also recently featured alongside actress Dame Helen Mirren in Marks & Spencer’s ‘Britain’s Leading Ladies’ campaign.

Jack Row

Matthew Christie

BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing: Design for Industry, 2009

BA (Hons) Media and Communication, 2005

Enterprise and Innovation Award-winning graduate Jack Row is catering to an exclusive clientele with his collections of luxurious precious metal fountain pens and cufflinks, sold at upmarket department stores such as Harrods. “I am a very proud graduate of the School of Jewellery, and to me this award recognises the achievements of the School as a whole and the dedication its staff put into the education of each student, consistently producing graduates who are shaping our industry.”

Excellence in Sport or the Arts Matthew Christie has built a successful media career on the back of his lifelong passion for boxing. He graduated with First Class Honours in Media and Communication and has gone on to become one of the world’s most respected writers on the subject for Boxing News magazine and various national newspapers. Matthew said of his nomination: “I was stunned, but very proud, to be chosen as an Alumni of the Year. I remember when I went back to university, it wasn’t an easy decision but it turned out to be the best thing I ever did.”

ALUMNI OF THE YEAR

Nominate for the 2014 Alumni of the Year at: www.bcu.ac.uk/alumni.

WHAT’S HAPPENING? Some of the University’s more recent highlights…

Catherine Tyldesley BA (Hons) Acting, 2005 Excellence in Sport or the Arts Catherine Tyldesley is one of the most recognisable faces to have graduated from Birmingham School of Acting (BSA) in recent years, having played Eva Price in top TV soap Coronation Street since June 2011. Catherine chose to get formal training before embarking on a professional career and after visiting a number of acting schools it was BSA that stood out. “I auditioned for a lot of schools and out of all of them, Birmingham School of Acting was the one that impressed me the most.”

Reena Jaisiah BA (Hons) Sociology, 2003 Community Engagement and Leadership

Alumna receives royal honour A recently retired member of staff has been honoured in the 2014 New Year’s Honours list. Former Chief Operating Officer Maxine Penlington has been named as an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for services to higher education. Maxine finds herself in good company on this year’s OBE list, alongside such eminent names as broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and Arsenal midfielder Rachel Yankey.

Estates staff triumphant at annual quiz A team of staff from Estates have been named as the winners of this year’s Brains of BCU charity quiz, winning themselves the prestigious Brains of BCU trophy and the distinction of being the ‘smartest’ team at the University. Over 130 staff and students were in attendance at this year’s event which raised £1,068 for Guide Dogs. The University has now set a £1,500 fundraising target to sponsor a ‘University Guide Dog’ which staff and students will be able to choose a name for. See the JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/ brainsofbcu2014.

BCU announces £58m plans to transform the University

Reena Jaisiah is an inspiration to people throughout the West Midlands and beyond, thanks to her involvement in a number of projects which help to bring diverse communities together.

Phase 2, which will open in September 2015, will house Birmingham City Business School, together with the Schools of English, Law and Social Sciences.

Reena said of her nomination: “I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was an Alumni of the Year – it’s an honour to receive recognition 10 years on and I should give time to reflect on my achievements as I rarely do that, being on the go.”

Phase 3, scheduled for completion in September 2017, will see the School of Education move to join the Faculty of Health at City South, creating a hub for the provision of public service contracts and professional development.

The University announced in January 2014 its plans for a further £58m investment to consolidate to two campus locations from 2017.

More information on estates developments here: icity.bcu.ac.uk/campusdevelopments

WHAT DO OUR STUDENTS THINK?

What do our students think? February marked the start of the National Student Survey 2014 (NSS), with this year’s results as crucial as ever. Professor Mary Carswell, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, speaks to Connect about the importance of the NSS, how the results are helping to change the University and what students really think about their time at the University.

Professor Carswell added: “In last year’s NSS we achieved 82 per cent student satisfaction which was down one per cent from 2012. Our aim as a University is to increase this to 90 per cent by 2018. This is an ambitious target but other similar universities have seen this level of improvement so, with the efforts of our staff, I am confident that it is achievable.”

What our students say… 86 per cent said staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching. 83 per cent of students said their communication skills had improved thanks to their course.

The NSS was launched in 2005, with all final year degree students invited to take part. Every year the University analyses and acts on the feedback to help meet student expectations. Professor Carswell explained: “Over the past couple of years we have seen a number of changes as a result of NSS feedback, such as extended library opening hours and improved internet service in student halls of residence. At the staff open forums in December, the Vice-Chancellor spoke to staff about the particular importance of this year’s NSS. Professor Cliff Allan said: “It is vital that we all work together on ways in which we can improve the student experience.”

“A number of our best performing courses are those where staff and students are working particularly closely together.” “The results of the NSS affect the University’s position in a number of league tables including those published by the national newspapers, so this can have a knock-on effect in terms of those prospective students who are deciding where to study.”

Last year the University achieved an overall 71 per cent response rate with a number of courses achieving a 100 per cent response rate. Results from the NSS 2013 also showed that the University is particularly strong in areas like quality of teaching, staff support, assessment and feedback. Professor Carswell explained: “A number of our best performing courses are those where staff and students are working particularly closely together. What we have found is that students on these courses have a greater sense of pride and belonging to the University. “This sort of student engagement is something we really pride ourselves on, and it’s exactly this sort of approach to learning and teaching that we are looking to focus on as part of the Partners for Success project. “Our students should always be at the heart of what we do, working alongside our staff rather than acting merely as recipients of a learning process designed and delivered by staff. This is the ethos of Partners for Success.”

WHAT DO OUR STUDENTS THINK?

Encouraging students to complete the NSS will be one of the University’s key priorities during Spring 2014. However, as Professor Carswell explains, the quality of the responses received will be just as important as the quantity. “The Key Information Set for each course that is published on Unistats just shows the percentage of students who ‘definitely’ or ‘mostly agree’ with a statement. So if staff can work with students to identify actions needed to move students from feeling fairly neutral about a statement to a more positive position then this can have a big impact on the results.

“It is vital that we all work together on ways in which we can improve the student experience.” “Staff, alongside our Students’ Union and student representatives, play an important role in explaining to students how the NSS works and in encouraging them to raise issues. Students should feel that they are able to talk to staff about any problems or concerns they have at any time, not just wait for formal surveys or meetings.

“A key aspect of the NSS is that it keeps us focused on the need to listen and respond effectively to what students are saying - and then to let them know what we have done. “Achieving highly in the NSS means we will be able to create a virtuous circle, where our students and staff can rightly feel proud of what we have achieved and strong results will help attract high quality, enthusiastic applicants. “Every member of staff can help make a difference. Often it is the small details that can have the biggest impact on a student’s experience with us here at Birmingham City University.”

What our students say… 88 per cent of our students agreed that staff are good at explaining things to them. 82 per cent of our students are satisfied with their course.

www.bcusu.com/nss

20 STAFF SPOTLIGHT

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Lecturer hitting the high notes Professor Robert Ashford, Director of Postgraduate Research Degrees for the Faculty of Health is the president of the Walsall and District Scottish Society and a keen bagpipe player in his free time. I have had a fascination with the bagpipes for a long time. The sound emanating from the chanter and drones is quite unique in the musical world. Technically they’re as difficult to play as any other instrument and have a musical style all of their own. Having to wear the compul sory regalia while playing is also a compelling and special reason for “blowing” the pipes! The Walsall and District Scottish Society is a very old West Midlands Scottish Society. Being president has allowed me to meet kindred spirits who enjoy promoting the cultural heritage of Scotland. Last year I was invited to ‘pipe’ in/open my professional annual conference at the Scottish National Exhibition centre in Glasgow. This was very special for me as it’s my home town and I knew many of the 1500 attending delegates. I regular ly attend the World Bagpiping Championships, which have recently been held in Glasgow but are scheduled to move to further afield; New Zealand and Belfast have been mentioned - my bags and pipes are ready to go!

I’ve also published research into bagpipe players; this research involves assessing the speed of finger movements of bagpipe players compared to a range of other instrumentalists. My advice to anyone interested in taking up the bagpipes would be that it takes time - be patient. It will probably take about two years to get a recognisable tune out of the pipes but once that point has been reached, the sky’s the limit. Playing the wonder ful Highland Bagpipe is quite a unique experience. It takes one to places that no other instrument can reach!

If you have an interesting hobby and would like to be featured in a future edition of Connect, email communications@bcu.ac.uk